[Help Thread] Advice and Tips for Competitions

[Sa967St]

Don't look at the timer in the middle of a solve

 

[IamWEB]

ALWAYS WAKE UP AT 7:08!!!!!

GENIUS!

make yourself comfortable in the competition setting, make some friends don't just cube in a corner

I don't live in Michigan, but it's my home state. I just wanted to say IT ROCKS!!!

And if they had competition late June/early July, I could actually make one possibly... lol.

 

[miniGOINGS]

ALWAYS WAKE UP AT 7:08!!!!!

Wouldn't you want to wake up before then?

 

[waffle=ijm]

Be friendly is the key to a competition.

All you have to do is make some friends. It removes the stress and so when you're up there, you don't even think of it as a competition, rather just a social gathering. Most people don't respond to stress very well, so making some friends will also help in solving.

 

[Forte]

Don't be afraid to talk to people that you see, and if you know who they are, then go up and talk to them to. EVERYONE IS KIND Especially in the UK, where they have an awesome accent.

Also, don't be distracted during an OH V Perm.
Just saying.

 

[Sa967St]

Also, don't be distracted during an OH V Perm.
Just saying.

:rolleyes:
and don't burst out laughing in the middle of a solve if someone randomly says "I could become a tarantula!".

 

[Tim Major]

Say your average on your puzzles is a bit worse than what it actually is. This takes the pressure off. All events I expect to do good in, I do bad. All the events I expect to do bad in, I do good. Don't expect to do well, but if you think this you probably will.

 

[JTW2007]

Don't look at the timer in the middle of a solve

Best advice. Other than that, my advice would be, talk to people and introduce yourself. If you don't, it'll just be awkward.

 

[HowSuneIsNow]

I am preparing to go to my first competition soon too. Any tips on how to get the numbers of the mass throngs of female spectators impressed with our seemingly magical abilities?

Seriously though I've never touched a stackmat timer before. Are they hard to get the hang of? Should I order one to practice?

 

[Mike Hughey]

Seriously though I've never touched a stackmat timer before. Are they hard to get the hang of? Should I order one to practice?

Yes, you should order one. Not because they're hard to get the hang of - I know when I first tried a stackmat, my average instantly went down by a second or so because it's just that much easier to use than a computer timer. But it's much more fun to solve at a stackmat, and you'll like having it with you when you're waiting between rounds at the competition, so I highly recommend you get one. No competition-attending cuber should be without one - they're just that nice to have.

 

[JTW2007]

Any tips on how to get the numbers of the mass throngs of female spectators impressed with our seemingly magical abilities?

It won't work.

No competition-attending cuber should be without one - they're just that nice to have.

And if it's Nationals, the organizers give you a free Icon cube if you lend it to them when theirs break.

 

[anythingtwisty]

Bring some cash and extra cubes so you can trade/buy new puzzles. Also, try to help by judging or scrambling, as organizers always need more help.

 

[JTW2007]

Bring some cash and extra cubes so you can trade/buy new puzzles. Also, try to help by judging or scrambling, as organizers always need more help.

Good advice. Cash helps. Judging and scrambling give you a good chance to get to know people, or if you're me, to figure out who's the best and ask them questions.

 

[dbax0999]

Clear the timer before your solve. DNFs are really annoying! But if its your first competition you should probably be prepared to get a few of them.

 

[blah]

Stand.

Sitting causes subconscious laziness, sorta.

 

[riffz]

Stand.

Sitting causes subconscious laziness, sorta.

I hate standing while cubing.

 

[*LukeMayn*]

Same :/

 

[miniGOINGS]

Stand.

Sitting causes subconscious laziness, sorta.

Or helps you focus on the cube and not how much you are shaking.

 

[waffle=ijm]

Clear the timer before your solve. DNFs are really annoying! But if its your first competition you should probably be prepared to get a few of them.

but make sure that you don't clear the timer immediately after solving...I was stupid enough to this...

 

[Cyrok215]

Clear the timer before your solve. DNFs are really annoying! But if its your first competition you should probably be prepared to get a few of them.

but make sure that you don't clear the timer immediately after solving...I was stupid enough to this...

Ha! That would've been funny, also don't automatically start scrambling the cube once you finish.....